Page 226 - Tales from the Yawning Portal

Fountain. A small stream of water spills from a wall that spot, and if it is cut by a sharp weapon it will begin
outlet into a basin and drains away through side holes. to gush forth blood- the blood of all those who have
so there is always plenty to drink. (It is impossible to died within the tomb! The red flow will cascade down
flood the place, for there are hundreds of small drain the steps and fill the area to the top of the southernmost
holes in the walls and floor.) step in 6 rounds, and each round thereafter it will rise
Treasure. There are numerous skeletons here. rotting higher and encompass one more step. If unchecked,
equipment, and 30d10 each of sp, ep, gp, and pp hurled the flow of blood will fill the foyer to the ceiling in
about. Searching through the remains will yield 2d10 20 rounds.
gems (worth 10 gp each), a potion of diminution, and Fire of any sort, magical or otherwise, turns the blood
a +l flail. to a poison gas, which is fatal, and all characters in the
Swords and Shields. If the door to the south is foyer area are dead, with no saving throw, while any in
opened from this side, all the swords and shields in the 5-foot-wide passage to the throne room are slain un-
area 27 swoop from the walls to attack, but they cease less they succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw.
as soon as the door opener retreats into the chamber to Casting one or more cure wounds spells on the door
the north. in any combination that expends four spell slots (such
as four 1st-level castings, two 2nd-level, or one 4th-level)
28. THE WONDROUS FOYER will stanch the flow of blood, as will a heal spell. If other
The narrow passage behind the throne leads to a magic is used against the blood, only the following
10-foot-wide landing and a series of steps which become spells will have any effect:
wider to the south as they ascend. When a character
Cone of cold freezes the blood and halts the flow
reaches the landing and is able to see the steps, read:
for 3 rounds.
Create or destroy water turns the blood to water.
The walls of the area ahead are untarnished and gleam- Disintegrate destroys all the blood.
ing copper panels set between rare woods inlaid with Levitate coagulates the blood and causes it to rise up as
a Huge red ochre jelly.
ivory. The ceiling is silver, formed so as to reflect and
Polymorph changes the blood into seven wights, which
amplify light brought into the place. The chamber widens
attack immediately.
to the south, where a set of gently sloping steps leads Purify food and drink turns all the blood to poison gas.
upward. The six steps, from nearest to farthest, are made A character caught in the gas must succeed on a DC
of onyx, pink marble, la pis, black marble, yellow serpen- 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned
for 48 hours.
tine, and malachite.
Raise dead or resurrection destroys all the blood and
causes a shade to appear on the top stair. The shade
Upon the black marble step is a large, cylindrical key blesses the characters so that they benefit as if they
of bronze, hereafter called the Second Key, for all to had just finished a long rest.
behold. It has an antipathy/sympathy spell cast upon it
(save DC 17) that repels humanoids (the antipathy ef- 30. FALSE TREASURE ROOM
fect). At the head of the steps are a pair of huge doors.
This imposing chamber has a silvered ceiling, just as the
29. THE VALVES OF MITHRAL
The doors at the top of the stairs are 14 feet wide and 28 foyer has, so it is brightly illuminated by reflected light.
feet tall. They are made of solid mithral, 3 feet thick, and The walls are of ivory with gold inlaid. The floor is pol-
impregnated with great magics in order to make them ished agate. In each corner stands a statue of black iron,
absolutely spell- and magic-proof.
easily nine feet tall. That to the northeast stands with a
Keyhole. Where these valves meet, at about waist
saw-toothed two-handed sword raised to strike; that to
height, is a cup-like depression, a hemispherical concav-
ity with a central hole. The hole appears to fit the Sec- the northwest a huge, spike-ended mace; to the south-
ond Key, but if it is inserted, the character so doing will east the sculpture holds a wickedly spiked morning star,
take 5 (ldlO) lightning damage. Anyone so foolish as to and the one in the southwest has a voulge.
insert the First Key (from area 19) will take double that Near the center of the room is a large bronze urn fili-
amount of damage.
greed in gold. A thin stream of smoke issues from a tiny
True Key. The real key to these great gates is the
vent in its brass stopper. On the southern wall stands a
scepter from area 25. If the gold knob is inserted into
the depression, the mithral doors will swing silently granite sarcophagus that appears to be damaged. Flank-
open. If the silver end of the scepter is touched to the ing the sarcophagus are two large iron chests.
hemispherical cup the holder of the instrument will be
teleported instantly to be spat out of the devil's mouth
at area 6, nude, while all non-living materials with the The room is lined with lead and has antimagic proper-
individual go to area 33, and the crown and the scepter ties, so no spells will work within the room, and no mag-
reappear on the throne. ical properties of items of any sort will properly function
Blood Trap. If the door is attacked by force it will not except those that detect an aura of magic or a place of
budge, but if it is scratched or nicked it will turn red in desecration.

CHAPTER 7 I TOMB OF HORRORS
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